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Walk - Or Die!
.]] "Walk - Or Die!" is the story printed in issue 1 of Commando in June 1961; it has since been reprinted in issues 2523 (December 1991) and 4453 (December 2011). It was written by Eric Castle and drawn by Amador García Cabrero, with a cover by Ken Barr. Plot (spoilers) In World War II, a British tank in the Libyan desert is seperated from its squadron following a German attack. Its officer dead, Corporal Tom Gerrard takes command. After a successful encounter with another German tank, Gerrard's men take a German colonel named Karl Olberth prisoner. Gerrard gets into a violent dispute with Willis, the tank's driver, who believes that it is a waste of water supplies to keep Olberth; Gerrard insists that the prisoner may have information that will prove useful. In the night Olberth tries to kill Willis and escape, but he is caught by Gerrard. Tensions between Olberth and Willis mount the next day, but the prisoner claims that he can lead the men to water. Although Gerrard's men suspect a trap, they decide that they have nothing to lose. They reach an oasis which turns out to be safe, until a German column begins to pass by. Olberth tries to make a break for it, but Gerrard fells him by throwing a stone at his head. The British tank launches a surprise attack on the Germans and drive them away. Willis suggests executing Olberth, but the gunner Martin says that the prisoner needs to be kept alive: he is the only one who knows where they are. The tank sets off, and runs into some more Germans; although its survives the new water supplies are lost in a collision, and the tank runs out of petrol shortly afterwards. Gerrard and his men set off to find signs of civilisation, and upon returning to their vehicle find that Olberth has escaped. Seeing that he has not taken his water bottle they realise that he is headed for a nearby settlement, and set off in persuit. Olberth reaches a German fuel dump, only to find that it has been commandeered by a band of Arabs. Gerrard's men arrive in time to see Olberth struggling with one of the Arabs; in the ensuing shoot-out the fuel is ignited and the petrol dump explodes. The Arabs flee; Gerrard's men make off with the surviving petrol and recapture Olberth. A patrol of German planes see smoke rising from the destroyed fuel dump and fly down to investigate. They destroy the tank and injure the crew; only Olberth survives unscathed. His leg wounded, Gerrard forces Olberth at gunpoint to carry him to British lines; Olberth complies, but along the way they pass a German outpost. Olberth tosses Gerrard into the sand and makes a run for it - and finds that the outpost has ben taken by British soldiers. Olberth is taken captive. The soldiers see Gerrard in the sand and take him to safety, picking up the other members of the tank's crew afterwards. Gerrard is awarded with a medal, and Olberth provides valuable information to his captives under interrogation. Category:Commando stories